North Korea's Kim calls U.S. 'our biggest enemy' in challenge to Biden

By Josh Smith and Cynthia Kim

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo supplied by North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) on January 9, 2021. KCNA/via REUTERS

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for more advanced nuclear weapons and said the United States is "our biggest enemy," state media said on Saturday, presenting a stark challenge to President-elect Joe Biden just days before he takes office.

 

Washington's hostile policies would not change regardless of who occupies the White House but dropping those policies would be key to North Korea-U.S. relations, Kim said, according to state news agency KCNA.

 

"Our foreign political activities should be focused and redirected on subduing the U.S., our biggest enemy and main obstacle to our innovated development," Kim said during nine hours of remarks over several days at a rare party congress in Pyongyang.

 

"No matter who is in power in the U.S., the true nature of the U.S. and its fundamental policies towards North Korea never change," Kim said, vowing to expand ties with "anti-imperialist, independent forces."

 

North Korea would not "misuse" its nuclear weapons, Kim said but the country is expanding its nuclear arsenal, including "preemptive" and "retaliatory" strike capabilities and warheads of varying sizes.

 

Kim called for developing equipment including hypersonic weapons, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), spy satellites, and drones.

 

North Korea is preparing for the test and production of various new weapons, including a "multi-warhead rocket" and "supersonic gliding flight warheads for new type ballistic rockets," while research on a nuclear submarine is nearly complete, he said.

 

"Kim pretty much showed what's on his mind – submarine missiles, better ICBMs and other advanced arms," said Yoo Ho-yeol, professor of North Korean studies at Korea University in Seoul. "He is saying that’s basically what Washington will see going forward, which could escalate tension or open doors for talks.”

 

Kim's remarks were one of the most ambitious outlines of North Korean national defence and nuclear matters in some time, said Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

 

"It could presage a return to nuclear testing, which is now on the table given that Kim renounced his April 2018 moratorium," he said.

 

U.S. TALKS STALLED

 

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department. A spokesman for the Biden campaign declined to comment.

 

Kim criticised South Korea for offering cooperation in "non-fundamental" areas such as coronavirus aid and tourism, and said Seoul should stop buying arms from and conducting military drills with the United States.

 

South Korea's Unification Ministry said it still hopes for a better North Korea-U.S. relations, and will continue to pursue the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

 

"The inauguration of the new U.S. administration can be a good opportunity to improve U.S.-North Korea relations, and we expect relations to swiftly resume," the ministry said in a statement after Kim's comments were released.

 

Biden, who was vice president under President Barack Obama, called Kim a "thug" during the election campaign. In 2019 North Korea called Biden a "rabid dog" that needed to be "beaten to death with a stick."

 

Kim had three unprecedented meetings with President Donald Trump and the two corresponded in a series of letters, but those efforts failed to lead to a denuclearisation deal or official change in the countries' relations.

 

"North Korea is declaring the window for cooperation is much, much smaller for the Biden administration," Yoo said.

 

Biden said in October that he would meet Kim only on the condition that North Korea agreed to draw down its nuclear capacity.

 

Last month Kurt Campbell, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia under Obama and considered a contender for a top Asia policy position under Biden, said the incoming U.S. administration would have to make an early decision on what approach it will take with North Korea and not repeat the delay of the Obama era.

 

'SELF-RELIANCE'

 

Besides U.S. and defence policy, Kim spoke at greater length on proposals for a five-year economic plan due to be announced at the congress, which he said would continue a focus on building an independent economy.

 

"The basic seeds and themes of the new five-year economic development plan are still self-reliance and self-sufficiency," he said.

 

Among the plans are building energy-saving steel plants, significantly increasing chemical goods, boosting electricity production, and securing more coal mines, Kim said.

 

The congress took steps toward "strengthening the united guidance and strategic management of the state over the economic work."

 

North Korea faces growing crises caused by international sanctions over its nuclear programme, as well as self-imposed lockdowns to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

 

"In practical terms, there's a disconnect between North Korea's dire internal economic situation and this ambitious nuclear and military modernisation agenda," Panda said.

 

(Reporting by Josh Smith and Cynthia Kim; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Grant McCool, Daniel Wallis and William Mallard)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-10

 

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Just keep it up little Kim I don’t think you will find the Biden administration so stupid as was trumps I suggest you batten down your hatches cause there’s rough seas ahead 

21 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Kim had three unprecedented meetings with President Donald Trump

Absolutely NO MEANING! Photo op and ego massage for Trump!

 

 

Little rocket man getting on his high horse again.

When will he learn to keep his big trap shut?

9 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Absolutely NO MEANING! Photo op for Trump!

Well that and a chance to meet his Kremlin handlers who coincidentally travelled to be there at the same time.

What has a tyrant to do on his daily routine but to enslave his people, execute a few every now and than to install the fear in them and come up with hate and bullying speeches? not easy being a despot dictator you know...

If the USA wants North Korea to nuclear demilitarize then the USA should also get rid of their nukes. 
 

A bit rich asking other countries to give up nukes when the USA started this whole nuclear thing, are the only country to have ever used nukes on another country (that happens to be a neighbor of Korea) and has enough nukes to blow the world hundreds of times over. 
 

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

What has a tyrant to do on his daily routine but to enslave his people, execute a few every now and than to install the fear in them and come up with hate and bullying speeches? not easy being a despot dictator you know...

You talking about Trump or Kim?

1 minute ago, Natai Beach said:

If the USA wants North Korea to nuclear demilitarize then the USA should also get rid of their nukes. 
 

A bit rich asking other countries to give up nukes when the USA started this whole nuclear thing, are the only country to have ever used nukes on another country (that happens to be a neighbor of Korea) and has enough nukes to blow the world hundreds of times over. 
 

Write Joe a letter!

Like Piglet against Ironman. Time to run Kimmie boy! Mr. Biden is here!

1 hour ago, Natai Beach said:

If the USA wants North Korea to nuclear demilitarize then the USA should also get rid of their nukes. 
 

A bit rich asking other countries to give up nukes when the USA started this whole nuclear thing, are the only country to have ever used nukes on another country (that happens to be a neighbor of Korea) and has enough nukes to blow the world hundreds of times over. 
 

It's not just the USA that wants NK to get rid of the nukes.  It's primarily South Korea, China and Japan.  The USA is probably out of reach of their lousy missiles.  But, not for these other countries. 

 

China got some radiation from one of their underground sites.  Missiles flying over Japan.  And SK?  Right....

 

You are aware they are selling nuclear material and plans all over the world?  And you are OK with that? 

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/north-korea-tried-to-sell-nuclear-material-last-year-1489019429

North Korea Tried to Sell Nuclear-Weapon Material Last Year

 

United Nations report says Pyongyang offered enriched lithium, sparking new concerns about proliferation threat

Mr Kim's biggest enemy is the Big Mac surely ????

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Absolutely NO MEANING! Photo op and ego massage for Trump!

I beg to differ. Everyone knows they were both attending world hairdressing conventions ????

30 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

I beg to differ. Everyone knows they were both attending world hairdressing conventions ????

They both failed miserably!

 Let's hope that Biden, unlike Trump, has the sense to ignore Kim's empty threats.

I thought he was trumpet's soul mate.

1 minute ago, placeholder said:

 Let's hope that Biden, unlike Trump, has the sense to ignore Kim's empty threats.

As long as Joe is breathing he will have more sense than Trump!

45 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

I beg to differ. Everyone knows they were both attending world hairdressing conventions ????

The coconut cut hairstyle is fantastic.

Trump had visited North Korea once ( for a minute of two ) and Pompeo had gone to North Korea Pyongyang twice.  That happened in 2018 and 2019. 

Now, Kim just blasts Donald Trump + Mike Pompeo in final days of their tenure. 

 

Kim had criticized Beijing policy multiple times in 2017

[Kim] is very much unpredictable.  Nevertheless time is on [his] side as long as he stays healthy.  

Too bad for Trump that there's no Nobel prize for gullibility.

38 minutes ago, placeholder said:

 Let's hope that Biden, unlike Trump, has the sense to ignore Kim's empty threats.

Never underestimate your enemy they have nukes i for one hope they take n Korea very very seriously and would be delighted if they managed to wipe out that evil regime and re unify the Korean people 

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Just keep it up little Kim I don’t think you will find the Biden administration so stupid as was trumps I suggest you batten down your hatches cause there’s rough seas ahead 

Yeah, I can see Biden wagging serious finger at North Korea, Iran, Russia and China !

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Yeah, I can see Biden wagging serious finger at North Korea, Iran, Russia and China !

Well, you won't see him taking a BFF stroll with Kim, either.

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

 Let's hope that Biden, unlike Trump, has the sense to ignore Kim's empty threats.

Obama and Biden were s--t scared of Kim. My tip for Biden would be to insult him first, give him nothing, than write nice letters to him and become friends. 

33 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Yeah, I can see Biden wagging serious finger at North Korea, Iran, Russia and China !

Perhaps but you won’t see the reps of a hostile foreign power in the Oval on the first day nor insulting our dead heroes on the first day (wall of stars Langley) nor the helinsky debacle insulting pows our war dead nor disrespecting our GIs I suspect you will see stronger imbargos perhaps a naval blockade (with nato) that kind of stuff not shaking hands with an enemy General (rember the look on Kim’s face when the idiot did that) I imagine on the case of Iran we will attempt to renew the treaty (hope so always prefer democracy over bullets)and Putin will no longer have free reign to humiliate our country he will see push back not suck up

Can we find a little island somewhere where Trump & Kim can reside together happily ever after 

together

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Obama and Biden were s--t scared of Kim. My tip for Biden would be to insult him first, give him nothing, than write nice letters to him and become friends. 

You're confused. It was Trump who appeased Kim.

2 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Obama and Biden were s--t scared of Kim. My tip for Biden would be to insult him first, give him nothing, than write nice letters to him and become friends. 

Scared of Kim?  BS.  Luckily, Biden won't be taking your tip.

1 hour ago, placeholder said:

You're confused. It was Trump who appeased Kim.

Trump was obsessed with many dictators.  Kim and Putin being the top 2.  Horrible president.

I am no fan of Lil’ Kim but he is 100% correct that the US is their main enemy and threat to how he likes to run things in the surreal world on North Korea